CHAPTER VIII. THE THREE FRIENDS.

tomuchbobanceandcamp-firetalk,butIhaveevernoticedthatthosewhoknowthemosthavetheleasttosayaboutit.IhaveseenFrenchmenfightbothinopenfield,intheintakingandthedefendingoftownsorcastlewicks,inescalados,camisades,nightforays,bushments,sallies,outfalls,andknightlyspear-runnings.Theirknightsandsquires,lad,areeverywhitasgoodasours,andIcouldpickoutascoreofthosewhoridebehindDuGuesclinwhowouldholdthelistswithsharpenedlancesagainstthebestmeninthearmyofEngland.Ontheotherhand,theircommonfolkaresocrusheddownwithgabelle,andpoll-tax,andeverymannerofcursedtallage,thatthespirithaspassedrightoutofthem.Itisafool'splantoteachamantobeacurinpeace,andthinkthathewillbealioninwar.Fleecethemlikesheepandsheeptheywillremain.Ifthenobleshadnotconqueredthepoorfolkitislikeenoughthatweshouldnothaveconqueredthenobles.” “Buttheymustbesorryfolktobowdowntotherichinsuchafashion,”saidbigJohn.“IambutapoorcommonerofEnglandmyself,andyetIknowsomethingofcharters,liberties,franchises,usages,privileges,customs,andthelike.Ifthesebebroken,thenallmenknowthatitistimetobuyarrow-heads.” “Aye,butthemenofthelawarestronginFranceaswellasthemenofwar.Bymyhilt!Iholdthatamanhasmoretofeartherefromtheink-potoftheonethanfromtheironoftheother.Thereiseversomecursedsheepskinintheirstrongboxestoprovethattherichmanshouldbericherandthepoormanpoorer.ItwouldscarcepassinEngland,buttheyarequietfolkoverthewater.” “Andwhatothernationshaveyouseeninyourtravels,goodsir?”askedAlleyneEdricson.Hisyoungmindhungeredforplainfactsoflife,afterthelongcourseofspeculationandofmysticismonwhichhehadbeentrained. “Ihaveseenthelowcountrymaninarms,andIhavenoughttosayagainsthim.Heavyandslowishebynature,andisnottobebroughtintobattleforthesakeofalady'seyelashorthetwangofaminstrel'sstring,likethehotterbloodofthesouth.Butmafoi!layhandonhiswool-bales,ortriflewithhisvelvetofBruges,andoutbuzzeseverystoutburgher,likebeesfromthetee-hole,readytolayonasthoughitwerehisonebusinessinlife.Byourlady!theyhaveshowntheFrenchatCourtraiandelsewherethattheyareasdeftinwieldingsteelasinweldingit.” “AndthemenofSpain?” “Theytooareveryhardysoldiers,themoresoasformanyhundredyearstheyhavehadtofighthardagainstthecursedfollowersoftheblackMahound,whohavepresseduponthemfromthesouth,andstill,asIunderstand,holdthefairerhalfofthecountry.IhadaturnwiththemupontheseawhentheycameovertoWinchelseaandthegoodqueenwithherladiessatuponthecliffslookingdownatus,asifithadbeenjoustortourney.Bymyhilt!itwasasightthatwasworththeseeing,forallthatwasbestinEnglandwasoutonthewaterthatday.Wewentforthinlittleshipsandcamebackingreatgalleys—foroffiftytallshipsofSpain,overtwoscoreflewtheCrossofSt.Georgeerethesunhadset.Butnow,youngster,Ihaveansweredyoufreely,andItrowitistimethatyouansweredme.Letthingsbeplatandplainbetweenus.Iamamanwhoshootsstraightathismark.YousawthethingsIhadwithmeatyonderhostel:namewhichyouwill,saveonlytheboxofrose-coloredsugarwhichItaketotheLadyLoring,andyoushallhaveitifyouwillbutcomewithmetoFrance.” “Nay,”saidAlleyne,“IwouldgladlycomewithyetoFranceorwhereelseyewill,justtolisttoyourtalk,andbecauseyearetheonlytwofriendsthatIhaveinthewholewideworldoutsideofthecloistersbut,indeed,itmaynotbe,formydutyistowardsmybrother,seeingthatfatherandmotheraredead,andhemyelder.Besides,whenyetalkoftakingmetoFrance,yedonotconceivehowuselessIshoul